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User blog:Ugra Murda Kurma/Universal Christian Healing Deity
Dhanvantari (Sanskrit: धन्वन्तरि) is an Avatar of Vishnu from the Hindu tradition. He appears in the Vedas and Puranas as the physician of the gods (devas), and the god ofAyurvedic medicine. It is common practice in Hinduism for worshipers to pray to Dhanvantari seeking his blessings for sound health for themselves and/or others, especially on Dhanteras Bhaiṣajyaguru (भैषज्यगुरु), formally Bhaiṣajyaguruvaiḍūryaprabhārāja(भैषज्यगुरुवैडूर्यप्रभाराज, "Medicine Master and King of Lapis Lazuli Light"), is the buddha of healing and medicine in Mahāyāna Buddhism. Commonly referred to as the "Medicine Buddha", he is described as a doctor who cures suffering using the medicine of his teachings. The Kalachakra (Sanskrit: कालचक्र Kālacakra, Tibetan: དུས་ཀྱི་འཁོར་ལོ།, Wylie: dus kyi 'khor lo; Mongolian: Цогт Цагийн Хүрдэн Tsogt Tsagiin Hurden; Chinese: 時輪) is a term used in Vajrayana Buddhism that means wheel of time or "time-cycles". The word Kālacakra is usually used to refer to a very complex teaching and practice in Tibetan Buddhism. Although the teaching is very advanced and esoteric, there is a tradition of offering it to large public audiences. Time cycleEdit http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Jain_Cosmic_Time_Cycle.jpgDivision of time as envisaged by Jains. According to Jainism, time is beginningless and eternal. The Kālacakra, the cosmic wheel of time, rotates ceaselessly. The wheel of time is divided into two half-rotations, Utsarpiṇī or ascending time cycle and Avasarpiṇī, the descending time cycle, occurring continuously after each other.[5] Utsarpiṇī is a period of progressive prosperity and happiness where the time spans and ages are at an increasing scale, while Avsarpiṇī is a period of increasing sorrow and immorality with decline in timespans of the epochs. Each of this half time cycle consisting of innumerable period of time (measured in sagaropama and palyopama years)[note 1] is further sub-divided into six aras or epochs of unequal periods. Currently, the time cycle is in avasarpiṇī or descending phase with the following epochs.[6] *''Suṣama-suṣamā (read as Sukhma-sukhma)'' - During the first ara of the Avsarpini, people lived for three palyopama years. During this ara people were on average six miles tall. They took their food on every fourth day; they were very tall and devoid of anger, pride, deceit, greed and other sinful acts. Various kinds of the kalpa trees fulfilled their wishes and needs like food, clothing, homes, entertainment, jewels etc. *''Suṣamā (read as Sukhma)'' - During the second ara the people lived for two palyopama years. During this ara people were on average 4 miles tall. They took their food at an interval of three days, but the kalpa trees supplied their wants, less than before. The land and water became less sweet and fruitful than they were during the first ara. http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Jain_scale_of_time.JPG*''Suṣama-duḥṣamā (read as Sukhma-dukhma)'' - During the third ara, the age limit of the people became one palyopama year. During this are people were on average 2 miles tall. They took their food on every second day. The earth and water as well as height and strength of the body went on decreasing and they became less than they were during the second ara. The first three ara the children were born as twins, one male and one female, who married each other and once again gave birth to twins. On account of happiness and pleasures, the religion, renunciation and austerities was not possible. At the end of the third ara, the wish-fulfilling trees stopped giving the desired fruits and the people started living in the societies. The first Tirthankara, Ṛṣabhdeva was born at the end of this ara. He taught the people the skills of farming, commerce, defence, politics and arts(intotal 72 arts for men and 64 arts for women) and organised the people in societies. That is why he is known as the father of human civilisation. *''Duḥṣama-suṣamā (read as Dukhma-sukhma)'' - During the fourth ara, people lived for 705.6 Quintillion Years. During this are people were on average 1500 Meters tall. The fourth ara was the age of religion, where the renunciation, austerities and liberation was possible. The 63 Śalākāpuruṣas, or the illustrious persons who promote the Jain religion, regularly appear in this ara. The balance 23 Tīrthaṅkars, including Lord Māhavīra appeared in this ara. This ara came to an end 3 years and 8 months after the nirvāṇa of Māhavīra. *''Duḥṣama (read as Dukhma)'' - According to Jain cosmology, currently we are in the 5th ara. As of 2015, exactly 2,539 years have elapsed and 18,461 years are still left. It is an age of sorrow and misery. The maximum age a person can live to in this ara is not more than 200 years. The average height of people in this ara is six feet tall. No liberation is possible, although people practice religion in lax and diluted form. At the end of this ara, even the Jain religion will disappear, only to appear again with the advent of 1st Tirthankara in the next cycle. *''Duḥṣama - duḥṣama (read as Dukhma-dukhma)'' - The sixth ara will be the age of intense misery and sorrow, making it impossible to practice religion in any form. The age, height and strength of the human beings will decrease to a great extent. In this era people will live for no more than 16–20 years. This trend will start reversing at the onset of utsarpiṇī kāl. In utsarpiṇī the order of the eras is reversed. Starting from Duḥṣama- duḥṣamā, it ends with Suṣama-suṣamā and thus this never ending cycle continues.[7] Each of these aras progress into the next phase seamlessly without any apocalyptic consequences. The increase or decrease in the happiness, life spans and length of people and general moral conduct of the society changes in a phased and graded manner as the time passes. No divine or supernatural beings are credited or responsible with these spontaneous temporal changes, either in a creative or overseeing role, rather human beings and creatures are born under the impulse of their own karmas.[8] http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Jain_universe.JPGStructure of Universe according to the Jain scriptures. The jain doctrine postulates an eternal and ever-existing world which works on universal natural laws. The existence of a creator deity is overwhelmingly opposed in the Jain doctrine. The universe has a firm and an unalterable shape which is measured in the Jain texts by means of a unit called Rajju which is supposed to be very large. The Digambara subsect of Jainism postulates that the universe is fourteen Rajju high and extends seven Rajjus from north to south. Its breadth is seven Rajjus at the bottom and decreases gradually till the middle where it is one Rajju. The width then increases gradually till it is five Rajju and again decreases till it is one Rajju. The apex of the universe is one Rajju long, one Rajju wide and eight Rajju high. The total space of the world is thus 343 cubic Rajju. The svetambara view differs slightly and postulates that there is constant increase and decrease in the breadth and the space is 239 cubic Rajju. Apart from the apex which is the adobe of liberated beings, the universe is divided into three parts. The world is surrounded by three atmospheres: dense-water, dense-wind and thin-wind. It is then surrounded by infinitely large non-world which is absolutely empty. The whole world is said to be filled with living beings. In all the three parts, there is the existence of very small living beings called nigoda. Nigoda are of two types: nitya-nigoda and Itara-nigoda. Nitya-nigoda are those which will reborn as nigoda throughout eternity where as Itara-nigoda will be reborn as other beings too. The mobile region of universe (Trasandi) is one Rajju wide, one Rajju broad and fourteen Rajju high. Within this, there are animals and plants everywhere where as Human beings are restricted to 2.5 continents of middle world. The beings inhabiting lower world are called Naraki (Hellish beings). Deva (roughly demi-gods) live in whole of the top and middle world and top three realms of lower world. Living beings are divided in fourteen classes (Jivasthana) : 1. fine beings with one sense. 2. Crude beings with one sense. 3. beings with two sense. 4. beings with three sense. 5. Beings with four sense. 6. beings with five sense without mind. 7. beings with five sense with a mind. These can be under-developed or developed which makes it a total of fourteen. Total number of life forms are said to be eighty-four Lakhs. Out of these, there are seven Lakh Nitya-nigoda, seven lakh itara-nigoda, ten Lakh plants, two Lakh each two-sense up to four-sense, four Lakh of five-sense and fourteen Lakhs of humans. Among these, one-two-three-four sensed beings can be born either as animals or humans. Fire, wind beings (devas) can be born as animals. animals with five-sense can be born as all stages. beings from hell can be born as developed animals or human beings. Gods as humans or earth-water crude beings or animals with five senses. Human beings get any form of existence and are the only ones which can attain salvation. The early Jains contemplated the nature of the earth and universe and developed a detailed hypothesis on the various aspects of astronomy and cosmology. According to the Jain texts, the universe is divided into 3 parts:[9] *''Urdhva Loka'' – the realms of the gods or heavens *''Madhya Loka'' – the realms of the humans, animals and plants *''Adho Loka'' – the realms of the hellish beings or the infernal regions http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Suryaprajnapati_Sutra.jpgWork of Art from 15th century CE Manuscript of Sūryaprajñapti The following Upanga āgamas describe the Jain cosmology and geography in a great detail:[9] #Sūryaprajñapti – Treatise on Sun #Jambūdvīpaprajñapti - Treatise on the island of Roseapple tree; it contains a description of Jambūdvī and life biographies of Ṛṣabha and King Bharata #Candraprajñapti - Treatise on moon Additionally, the following texts describe the Jain cosmology and related topics in detail: #Trilokasāra – Essence of the three worlds (heavens, middle level, hells) #Trilokaprajñapti – Treatise on the three worlds #Trilokadipikā – Illumination of the three worlds #Tattvārthasūtra – Description on nature of realities #Kṣetrasamasa – Summary of Jain geography #Bruhatsamgrahni – Treatise on Jain cosmology and geography Urdhva Loka, the upper worldEdit http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Cosmic_man.jpgShape of Universe as per Jain cosmology in form of a cosmic man. Picture taken from 15-17th CE Jain art Upper World (Udharva loka) is divided into different abodes and are the realms of the heavenly beings (demi-gods) who are non-liberated souls. Upper World is divided into sixteen Devalokas, nine Graiveyaka, nine Anudish and five Anuttar abodes. Sixteen Devaloka abodes are Saudharma, Aishana, Sanatkumara, Mahendra, Brahma, Brahmottara, Lantava, Kapishta, Shukra, Mahashukra, Shatara, Sahasrara, Anata, Pranata, Arana and Achyuta. Nine Graiveyak abodes are Sudarshan, Amogh, Suprabuddha, Yashodhar, Subhadra, Suvishal, Sumanas, Saumanas and Pritikar. Nine Anudish are Aditya, Archi, Archimalini, Vair, Vairochan, Saum, Saumrup, Ark and Sphatik. Five Anuttar are Vijaya, Vaijayanta, Jayanta, Aparajita and Sarvarthasiddhi. The sixteen heavens in Devalokas are also called Kalpas and the rest are called Kalpatit. Those living in Kalpatit are called Ahamindra and are equal in grandeur. There is increase with regard to the lifetime, influence of power, happiness, lumination of body, purity in thought-colouration, capacity of the senses and range of clairvoyance in the Heavenly beings residing in the higher abodes. But there is decrease with regard to motion, stature, attachment and pride. The higher groups, dwelling in 9 Greveyak and 5 Anutar Viman. They are independent and dwelling in their own vehicles. The anuttara souls attain liberation within one or two lifetimes. The lower groups, organized like earthly kingdoms - rulers (Indra), counselors, guards, queens, followers, armies etc. Above the Anutar vimans, at the apex of the universe, is the Siddhasila, the realms of the liberated souls also known as the Siddhas, the perfected omniscient and blissful beings, who are venerated by the Jains.[10] Madhya Loka, the middle worldEdit http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Jambudvipa.JPGImage depicting map of Jambudvipa as per Jain Cosmologyhttp://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Adhaidvipa.jpgEarly 19th century painting depicting map of 2 & 1/2 continents Madhya Loka, at the centre of the universe consists of 900 yojans above and 900 yojans below earth surface. It is inhabited by:[10] #Jyotishka devas (luminous gods) - 790 to 900 yojans above earth #Human, Tiryanch (Animals, birds, plants) on the surface #Vyantar devas (Intermediary gods)- 100 yojan below the ground level Madhyaloka consists of many continent-islands surrounded by oceans, first eight whose names are :- ::: Mount Meru is at the centre of the world surrounded by Jambūdvīpa, in form of a circle forming a diameter of 100,000 yojans.[10] There are two sets of sun, moon and stars revolving around Mount Meru; while one set works, the other set rests behind the Mount Meru.[11][12][13] http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Sankhitta_Sangheyani_Cosmography.jpgWork of Art showing maps and diagrams as per Jain Cosmography from 17th century CE Manuscript of 12th century Jain text Sankhitta Sangheyan Jambūdvīpa continent has 6 mighty mountains, dividing the continent into 7 zones (Ksetra). The names of these zones are: #Bharat Kshetra #Mahavideh Kshetra #Airavat Kshetra #Ramyak #Hairanyvat Kshetra #Haimava Kshetra #Hari Kshetra The three zones i.e. Bharat Kshetra, Mahavideh Kshetra and Airavat Kshetra are also known as Karma bhoomi because practice of austerities and liberation is possible and the Tirthankaras preach the Jain doctrine. The other four zones, Ramyak, Hairanyvat Kshetra, Haimava Kshetra and Hari Kshetra are known as akarmabhoomi or bhogbhumi as humans live a sinless life of pleasure and no religion or liberation is possible. Adho Loka, the lower worldEdit Main article: Naraka (Jainism)http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Seven_Jain_Hells.jpg17th century cloth painting depicting seven levels of Jain hell and various tortures suffered in them. Left panel depicts the demi-god and his animal vehicle presiding over the each hell. The lower world consists of seven hells which is inhabited by Bhavanpati demigods and the hellish beings. Hellish beings reside in the following hells - #Ratna prabha-dharma. #Sharkara prabha-vansha. #Valuka prabha-megha. #Pank prabha-anjana. #Dhum prabha-arista. #Tamah prabha-maghavi. #Mahatamah prabha-maadhavi Śalākāpuruṣas- The deeds of the 63 Illustrious MenEdit Main article: Salakapurusa During each motion of the half-cycle of the wheel of time, 63 Śalākāpuruṣa or 63 illustrious men, consisting of the 24 Tīrthaṅkaras and their contemporaries regularly appear.[14] The Jain universal or legendary history is basically a compilation of the deeds of these illustrious men. They are categorised as follows :- *24 Tīrthaṅkaras – The 24 Tīrthaṅkaras or the ford makers appear in succession to activate the true religion and establish the community of ascetics and laymen. *12 Chakravartīs – The Chakravartīs are the universal monarchs who rule over the six continents. *9 Baladevas and 9 Vāsudevas or Nārāyaṇas (heroes) – Baladeva and Vāsudeva are half brothers who jointly rule over three continents. *9 Prativāsudevas (anti-heroes) – They are anti-heroes who are ultimately killed by the Vāsudevas. Besides these a few other important classes of 106 persons are recognized:- *9 Naradas. *11 Rudras. *24 Kamdevas. *24 Fathers of the Tirthankaras. *24 Mothers of the Tirthankaras. *14 Kulakaras Ogham /ˈɒɡəm/[1] (Modern Irish [ˈoːmˠ] or [ˈoːəmˠ]; Old Irish: ogam[ˈɔɣamˠ]) is an Early Medieval alphabet used primarily to write the early Irish language (in the so-called "orthodox" inscriptions, 4th to 6th centuries), and later the Old Irish language (so-called scholastic ogham, 6th to 9th centuries). There are roughly 400 surviving orthodox inscriptions on stone monuments throughout Ireland and western Britain; the bulk of them are in the south of Ireland, in Counties Kerry, Cork and Waterford.[2]The largest number outside of Ireland is in Pembrokeshire in Wales.[3] The vast majority of the inscriptions consist of personal names. According to the High Medieval Bríatharogam, names of various trees can be ascribed to individual letters. The etymology of the word ogam or ogham remains unclear. One possible origin is from the Irish og-úaim 'point-seam', referring to the seam made by the point of a sharp weapon.[4] The earliest inscriptions in ogham date to about the 4th century AD,[5] but James Carney believes its invention is rather within the 1st century BC.[6] Although the use of "classical" ogham in stone inscriptions seems to have flowered in the 5th and 6th centuries around the Irish Sea, from the phonological evidence it is clear that the alphabet predates the 5th century. A period of writing on wood or other perishable material prior to the preserved monumental inscriptions needs to be assumed, sufficient for the loss of the phonemes represented by úath ("H") and straif ("Z" in the manuscript tradition, but probably "F" from "SW"), gétal (representing the velar nasal "NG" in the manuscript tradition, but etymologically probably "GW"), all of which are clearly part of the system, but unattested in inscriptions. It appears that the ogham alphabet was modelled on another script,[7] and some even consider it a mere cipher of its template script (Düwel 1968:[8] points out similarity with ciphers of Germanic runes). The largest number of scholars favours the Latin alphabet as this template,[citation needed] although the Elder Futhark and even the Greek alphabet have their supporters.[9] Runic origin would elegantly explain the presence of "H" and "Z" letters unused in Irish, as well as the presence of vocalic and consonantal variants "U" vs. "W" unknown to Latin or Greek writing. The Latin alphabet is the primary contender mainly because its influence at the required period (4th century) is most easily established, viz., via Britannia, while the runes in the 4th century were not very widespread even in continental Europe. In Ireland and in Wales, the language of the monumental stone inscriptions is termed Primitive Irish. The transition to Old Irish, the language of the earliest sources in the Latin alphabet, takes place in about the 6th century.[10] Since ogham inscriptions consist almost exclusively of personal names and marks possibly indicating land ownership, linguistic information that may be glimpsed from the Primitive Irish period is mostly restricted to phonological developments. Theories of originEdit http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Book_of_Ballymote_170r.jpgFol. 170r of the Book of Ballymote (1390), the''Auraicept na n-Écesexplaining the ogham script There are two main schools of thought among scholars as to the motivation for the creation of ogham. Scholars such as Carney and MacNeill have suggested that ogham was first created as a cryptic alphabet, designed by the Irish so as not to be understood by those with a knowledge of the Latin alphabet.[11] With this school of thought, it is asserted that the alphabet was created by Irish scholars or druids for political, military or religious reasons to provide a secret means of communication in opposition to the authorities of Roman Britain.[citation needed] The Roman Empire, which then ruled over neighbouring southern Britain, represented a very real threat of invasion to Ireland, which may have acted as a spur to the creation of the alphabet.[citation needed] Alternatively, in later centuries when the threat of invasion had receded and the Irish were themselves invading the western parts of Britain, the desire to keep communications secret from Romans or Romanised Britons would still have provided an incentive.[citation needed] With bilingual ogham and Latin inscriptions in Wales, however, one would suppose that the ogham could easily be decoded by anyone in the Post-Roman world.[12] The second main school of thought, put forward by scholars such as McManus,[13] is that ogham was invented by the first Christian communities in early Ireland, out of a desire to have a unique alphabet for writing short messages and inscriptions in the Irish language. The argument is that the sounds of Primitive Irish were regarded as difficult to transcribe into the Latin alphabet, so the invention of a separate alphabet was deemed appropriate. A possible such origin, as suggested by McManus (1991:41), is the early Christian community known to have existed in Ireland from around AD 400 at the latest, the existence of which is attested by the mission of Palladius by Pope Celestine I in AD 431. A variation is that the alphabet was first invented, for whatever reason, in 4th-century Irish settlements in west Wales after contact and intermarriage with Romanized Britons with a knowledge of the Latin alphabet.[citation needed] In fact, several ogham stones in Wales are bilingual, containing both Irish and British Latin, testifying to the inter-national contacts that led to the existence of some of these stones.[14] A third theory put forward by the noted ogham scholar R.A.S. Macalister was influential at one time, but finds little favour with scholars today.[15] Macalister believed that ogham was first invented in Cisalpine Gaul around 600 BC by Gaulish druids as a secret system of hand signals, and was inspired by a form of the Greek alphabet current in Northern Italy at the time. According to this theory, the alphabet was transmitted in oral form or on wood only, until it was finally put into a written form on stone inscriptions in early Christian Ireland. Later scholars are largely united in rejecting this theory, however,[16] primarily because a detailed study of the letters[citation needed] shows that they were created specifically for the Primitive Irish of the early centuries AD. The supposed links with the form of the Greek alphabet that Macalister proposed can also be disproved.[citation needed] Macalister's theory of hand or finger signals as a source for ogham is a reflection of the fact that the signary consists of four groups of five letters, with a sequence of strokes from one to five. A theory popular among modern scholars is that the forms of the letters derive from the various numerical tally-mark systems in existence at the time. This theory was first suggested by the scholars R. Thurneysen and J. Vendryès, who proposed that the ogham script was inspired by a pre-existing system of counting based around the numbers five and twenty, which was then adapted to an alphabet form by the first ogamists.[17] '''Medicine wheels', or sacred hoops, are either a symbol of indigenous North Americanculture and religion, or stone monuments related to this symbol. The monuments were constructed by laying stones in a particular pattern on the ground oriented to the four directions. Most medicine wheels follow the basic pattern of having a center of stone(s), and surrounding that is an outer ring of stones with "spokes", or lines of rocks radiating from the center with the spokes facing East, South, West and North following the cardinal directions. Some ancient types of sacred architecture were built by laying stones on the surface of the ground in particular patterns common to aboriginal people. Originally, medicine wheels were stone structures constructed by a large number of the tribes or nations of indigenous peoples of America for religious, ritual, healing, and teaching purposes. Medicine wheels are still "opened" or inaugurated in Native Americanspirituality where, by certain tribes or groups, they are referred to as "sacred hoops". There are various native words to describe the ancient forms and types of rock alignments. The most prevalent and used involves the four directions. More recently, syncretic, hybridized uses of medicine wheels, magic circles, and mandalasacred technology are employed in New Age, Wiccan, Pagan and other spiritual discoursethroughout the World. The rite of the sacred hoop and medicine wheel differed and differs amongst indigenous traditions, as it now does between non-indigenous peoples, and between traditional and modernist variations. The Eight Immortals (Chinese: 八仙; pinyin: Bāxiān; Wade–Giles: Pa¹-hsien¹) are a group of legendary xian ("immortals; transcendents; saints") in Chinese mythology. Each Immortal's power can be transferred to a power tool (法器) that can bestow life or destroy evil. Together, these eight tools are called the "Covert Eight Immortals" (暗八仙 àn ~). Most of them are said to have been born in the Tang or Song Dynasty. They are revered by theTaoists and are also a popular element in the secular Chinese culture. They are said to live on a group of five islands in the Bohai Sea, which includes Penglai Mountain-Island. The Immortals are: *He Xiangu *Cao Guojiu *Li Tieguai *Lan Caihe *Lü Dongbin *Han Xiangzi *Zhang Guolao *Zhongli Quan In literature before the 1970s, they were sometimes translated as the Eight Genies. First described in the Yuan Dynasty, they were probably named after the Eight Immortal Scholars of the Han. Category:Blog posts